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Alexandria, Va. – Dec. 5, 2017 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce its latest school breakfast initiative, Feeding Hungry Minds: Superintendent Leadership for Alternative School Breakfast Programs. This program will reach more than 90,000 students in eight school districts around the country. We are grateful to the Walmart Foundation for the $1 million grant to support this work.

Since 2011, AASA has been funded by the Walmart Foundation to provide support and technical assistance to districts to increase school breakfast participation. Through this initiative, breakfast is moved out of the cafeteria, and into the classrooms and hallways. This is the fourth cohort of breakfast districts for AASA, bringing the total number of districts we’ve engaged to 30. Walmart Foundation has also assisted AASA in supporting districts with mini-grants that helped to feed an additional 36,139 students.

“Starting each morning with a healthy breakfast helps to ensure that children are able to stay on task while in school and lead healthier lives,” said Eileen Hyde, director, Hunger and Healthy Eating, Walmart Foundation. “As part of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation’s commitment to provide 4 billion meals over five years, we are proud to work with AASA to increase access to breakfast for children across the country.”

“A hungry child is not going to learn as efficiently as a child who has had breakfast,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “We are grateful for the generosity and support provided to us by the Walmart Foundation. We also applaud the partnering school districts working to decrease hunger and increase the number of students who are healthy, in school and learning.”

Rochester City School District
Rochester, N.Y.
Superintendent: Barbara Deane-Williams

Stamford Public Schools
Stamford, Ct.
Superintendent: Earl Kim

Districts where the superintendent is an AASA member were eligible for the initiative based on low breakfast participation and a high free/reduced meal rate. Each successful application indicated a plan to serve breakfast using an alternative model — either breakfast in the classroom or through a grab-and-go model using kiosks or vending machines in the hallway so that more children have the opportunity to eat.

AASA’s Children’s Programs Department, which oversees the school breakfast initiative, is centered on work that drives systems change and increases educational equity. Learn more at: www.aasa.org/ChildrensPrograms.aspx.

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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.

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